The Cats Meow

The weather was ten out of ten today; blue skies, a few scudding clouded and a cooling breeze off the lake. June blossom gave the leafy roads a memory enchanting swoon. Not too busy roads and an engine ticking like a swiss clock. Lake county roads through a rolling horse country gave a suitable foil to a great ride. No photos but just before heading out a superb example of one of the most beautiful car ever built: an E Type Jaguar. Its cat like maw and sleek body evoke speed.

The owner was there and discussed his grin inducing enjoyment of driving it. His father purchased it new in ’74 and it was immaculate down to the V-12 growl as it purred off down the road.

This 5.3l Series 3 was the last year of the car Enzo Ferrari called “the most beautiful car ever made”. Well, for a perfect summer day, the perfect drive. Now between a 911 and an XKE….. Hmm… Ali, Marciano? Stones, Beatles? Take yer pick?

Over ‘ere son; on the ‘ead!

Trying to look like some latter day McQueen here’s football star David Beckham taking to the streets, dirt and studio on a variety of two-wheeled motos. First off a classic pose with a knobbly tired Husky, ready for a day in the desert? Needs a bit more grime under the nails I think…

The black and white imagery is nevertheless timeless.

Another ride in the Hollywood Hills with half face lid stylin’ on a Norton. A clean example with open primary case.

Finally, and appropriately for this blog, more of a photoshoot, he’s atop a vintage Triumph. I don’t know if its jeans, boots or even hair product, he’s promoting, but the bike sure looks splendid. Ready for a vintage track meet.

Posh on pillion? Nah, don’t think so!

Fact Card

Back when I were lad we didn’t have computers and mobile devices for information. If you wanted to find something out you went to the library . not with Google Wikipedia and whatnot it’s all at our fingertips, or even voice with an iphone or my nexus. Well, back then someone had a smart idea of creating collectible data cards on all manner of things, the natural world (4,000 cards in all!), recipes and of course motorcycles. You’d start off with a couple of dozen glossy colour printed index cards and a plastic card holder and clear cover, then before long, well month by month, with subscription from Atlas, you’d have a wealth of data enviable with your marras.

The front of the fiche was a picture with year and country of origin. The back listed specifications and typical performance. Ah halcyon days pre interweb!

Now the panini stickers were another thing from the schoolyard! “Swap you my Peter Shilton for your Kevin Keegan”.

Nice hair Kev!

X-Ray vision

I’ve had one or two of these before on the blog, but I do like a good cuttaway engine. With cut lines in red and carefully sliced to maintain moving parts integrity it’s one of the best ways of seeing how the combination of parts work together.

This is of course the diminutive 200cc Triumph Tiger Cub single cylinder engine. I’m becoming familiar with the workings and the component integration.

Some like it hot…

“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.”
― Marilyn Monroe

He has the need….

….the need for speed. Our Tommy Cruise getting his prop Thruxton up to reasonable speed on a closed set in London’s Mall for an upcoming flick, “All you need is kill”. A graphic novel brought to life.

The story is Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s written and Yoshitoshi ABe’ illustrated SciFi story very much like a Philip K. Dick version of Groundhog Day.

“He’s Dangerous”.  Iceman

Denim & Leather

Heavy Metal IS the music of a motorcycle on the motorway: heavy drums, power chords and wailing lyrics. Biff Byford’s Saxon was a venue filling group of the early eighties. On their album Wheels of Steel their first track starts up with the rumble of revving motorcycles….

Motorcycle Man
[Byford/Quinn/Oliver/Dawson/Gill]

If you see me flashing by
Do not stop me, do not try
‘Cause I’m a motorcycle man
I get my kicks just when I can

Motorcycle man
Motorcycle man

I can beat your street machine
We’re taking risks, that’s what we mean
‘Cause I’m a motorcycle man
We get our kicks just when we can
When we can

Motorcycle man
Motorcycle…

If you see me riding by
Do not stop me, do not try
‘Cause I’m a motorcycle man
I get my kicks just when I can
When I can

Motorcycle man
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle, motorcycle
Motorcycle man

I can beat your street machine
I’m taking risks, that’s what I mean
‘Cause I’m a motorcycle man
We get our kicks just when we can
When we can

Motorcycle man
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle, motorcycle
Motorcycle man

Head bangin’ glory!  \m/

Pointless …

I took an hour today to swap out the points ignition setup for a nifty Pazon electronic ignition, a very straight forward operation only needing care in getting the rotor aligned to TDC. Once there the engine is started and timed on the primary side to the correct 38° advance  Varoom, the engine roars into a powerful voice. I nip around the block going up and down the gears with intent. The Bonnie got her giddy-up back!

Framed Oil

Back in the late sixties when the British motorcycle industry knew things were in hubris began an evolution of the globally successful Bonneville headed twin engined T series. The parent company BSA was waning and a merger with Norton Villiers was soon to be forced upon them. The wagons were circling…
..one if the remaining technical ‘wheezes’ they had was the creation of an oil filled frame or ‘Oil-in-Frame’ as they came to be known.

In ’71 Triumph introduced its new Bonneville & Trophy and BSA its Lightning and Thunderbolt. The photo shows their similarities such as the slab sided covers, and differences: notably the engine and gas tank. The Bonnie tries to keep a sense of its heritage whereas the Thunderbolt has new slim lines and the unit engine seems more in place. My ’72 should look like the farther model, but its developed into a 70’s hybrid.
Too little too late? The triples were a great bike, the twins were long in the tooth, worker political going on were afoot and the CB750 was running roughshod across the world. The death knell was run, BSA had a year and Triumph about ten of hobbling along.
However both good looking bikes…

Kustom Kulture

Of course the MvR meet wasn’t just about motorcycles… It also included a small car show where the four wheeled rockers drove in their 50’s vee-hick-kals. Hot rods, Rat Rods, land yachts, classic trucks, Nader’s Ford Corvair. Enjoy!

Tri by Tri

A collage of the numerous Triumphs seen at Mods vs Rockers. Enjoyed ’em all!

San Honda

Threesome japanesewise today:let’s start with the Black Bomber, a four fifty twin from the sixties that gave the British Iron a run for their money… Before the CB750 came along then it was ” Game Over”. Good styling marked by the monochromatic ebony, silver, gray scheme.

Add a fairing and classic Honda racing colors, silver, red and yellow, then we have a speed contender. Road going speed jinx here we come!

This really is choice…
         …….. Finally a diminutive piece of fun: the Monkey Bike. Shrek on the wee chair give giggles. The minimoto itself has several aftermarket upgrades to improve performance and raise fun levels.

When in Rome

The Latin moto’s were well represented at the Rally with numerous latter day Ducati’s as well as a few select Mediterranean marvels. Of course this older single Duc 250 Scrambler gives enjoyable views of its bevel driven  engineering. A cousin to my Cub project?

Then some bearded feller came rumbling in on this Guzzi combination, resplendent in red, it looks like a comfy drive for captain and passenger alike. Plenty of storage room to tote a picnic along the Po river visiting villas and gardens.

And finally, though not leastly, a 350 Moto Morini. A little cracker of a v-twin that gives the owner plenty of notice with the head turning this racer will enjoy.

A Norton trinity

A threefold contrasting in style. MvR had plenty of marque examples to enjoy viewing and this triad of Norton’s was one such range of look. A clean black ‘n’ gold commando which must enjoy the road. A classic!

Another silver ghost with that swooping name glows in monochromatic pearlescence.

Then finally a superlative custom with the twin barrel’d engine shoehorned into a carefully wrought frame. Rim mounted disc brakes and numerous other carefully though through details add quality to this bespoke moto.

Three for three…

Clean Machine

Yesterdays Mods versus Rockers bike meet was a great turnout with early rain passing and a good sun getting out. Several smart machines were seen which will be included on the blog over the next few days however this specimen stood out. It was a surgically clean, unblemished, concour quality 1968 Triumph Bonneville. It is probably cleaner than a factory fresh machine from 45 years ago.

My bike would look like an oily hack next to it. But my moto is a runner meant to get ‘hacky dorty’ on the road ahead. This is a display specimen.